Greetings skiers.

James and I tried to park at 10k and eventually work our way to the Survey Trail...it didn't work out that way.  Just above Balsam Glade there were two stuck cars and several others spinning wheels so the road was temporarily blocked.  We decided to turn around and park at Balsam to try to ski there.  We skied about a mile or so down Forest Road 165.  The only time you can ski that is just after fresh snow and it must be cold, otherwise you get gravel from car traffic and melting conditions.  It was totally skiable today.  Indeed I could have taken my skate skis on part of it. There was a fair amount of tire tracks already laid down so we skied in clean snow tire tracks.  After we turned around we decided to head up the trail that leads from the first hairpin on 165 to Capulan area.  Conditions here were passable.  Not great.  Lots of rocks, bare spots and we had to remove the skis in a couple of places.  

I'm looking forward to skiing a bit higher up the hill tomorrow.  

-cheers,

Amy